The construction of surfaces based on the principle of stacking planar elements and connecting them to each other by adhesive means, for example, is already known in the art. The fabrication of the planar elements, however, so that they can be readily assembled and separated from their parent or base plates or sheets, has required considerable improvement from the prior art so that these planar elements can be produced in large quantities in an economical manner.
In producing the planar elements for construction of surfaces, it is essential that the elements become stacked in precise registration relative to each other. The planar elements, moreover, must be cut from a parent material which is plate-shaped material or sheet metal or other sheet material, for example. This parent material must be advanced in precise increments to and from processing stations along a production line. Cutting of the planar elements must also be achieved in a precise manner for the purpose of approximating as precisely as possible the surface to be constructed. The cutting action to form the planar elements, moreover, must leave tabs, for example, to retain the planar elements in place with respect to the parent material during further processing after the cutting operation. The planar element together with the registration holes are cut from the initial or parent material by a blanking operation, and the resulting blanks must be stackable relative to each other in any easy manner, after adhesive has been selectively applied to surfaces of the planar element and/or the blank surfaces. These numerous production steps have not been satisfactorily carried out in the past whereby they were coordinated and arranged to allow for large-quantity production at economical rates.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for producing planar elements for the construction of surfaces and bodies, in an efficient manner with minimum number of steps comprised of simple operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the foregoing character which produces minimum material wastes.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement, as described, which may be readily maintained in service and which has a substantially long operating life.